


I Realize

by almosthuman_butnotquite



Series: Katrin [7]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: A lot of canon characters are mentioned - Freeform, Angsty Schmoop, But I'm lazy, F/M, How Do I Tag, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-29 02:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6355120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almosthuman_butnotquite/pseuds/almosthuman_butnotquite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"How's my favorite gal doin' today?"</p>
<p>"Just fantastic," she said.</p>
<p>"Is that a new dress?" he asked. "Do a twirl for me, would ya?" Katrin stepped back and gave him a twirl, and the skirt of her newest pink dress swirled around her thighs. "Just beautiful."</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Realize

**Author's Note:**

> I actually polished this one a bit. I like it. It's cute.

Katrin's favorite place in all of the Mojave Wasteland was The Tops casino. It wasn't filthy like Gomorrah, nor was it stuffy like The Ultra Luxe. It didn't need to show off to be a novelty like Vault 21 and it didn't need to be shut off from the public to draw attention like the Lucky 38.

The employees at The Tops were kind and took their jobs seriously. They treated their guests fairly and made sure they had everything they could want. Her other companions might like Gomorrah or The Atomic Wrangler better, but Katrin was in love with The Tops.

A Chairman she recognized as Donnie greeted her at the door. "Hey hey, baby doll. I'm going to need you to turn over your—"

Swank interrupted him with a wave of his hand. "She's fine, ya dig?" He winked at Katrin and she smiled, making her way over to the counter. She leaned over and smiled at him. "How's my favorite gal doin' today?"

"Just fantastic," she said.

"Is that a new dress?" he asked. "Do a twirl for me, would ya?" Katrin stepped back and gave him a twirl, and the skirt of her newest pink dress swirled around her thighs. "Just beautiful."

Katrin resisted rolling her bright blue eyes. Swank loved to flirt with her, but none of it was serious, she knew that much. Swank was just appreciative of her icing Benny and giving him control of the casino. "Thank you Swank," she said, once again leaning over the counter. "How's business?"

"Better, now that that fink Benny ain't runnin' the joint." He ran a hand up Katrin's bare forearm, his hand warm again her cold skin. "And how is business on your end? The Strip treatin' ya okay?"

She lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. "Aside from the cat calls and the occasional botched mugging, it's just wonderful." If he wanted to flirt, she could dish it right back. "Honestly, it could be better..."

Swank arched a brow. "How so, dollface?"

"For starters, I seem to have lost my way. Could you show me to my room?"

Swank hesitated and looked at one of his coworkers. "Well, Daniel here can, but I shouldn't leave the counter."

"Swank, baby, you run the place. Surely you could show me to my room and run back here before any of the guests even notice your absence." She stroked his arm a little and noticed a change in his face, just behind those dark brown eyes.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt anyone." He walked around the counter and offered Katrin his arm. "Do ya always get your way, doll?"

Katrin smiled charmingly and looped her arm through his. "Don't you forget it, baby."

They boarded the elevator in silence, and Katrin felt an odd feeling in her gut that she had never felt before. Was she getting sick? Oh, she hoped she didn't puke all over Swank's nice shoes.

The elevator was kind of stuffy, but Swank smelled nice, like some of that pre-war cologne Eathan liked to wear on a date with Dmitri. Swank said nothing, but he didn't seem nervous. Katrin, however, felt like she was going to regurgitate the steak she had dined on just an hour earlier.

"Here we are," Swank said as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

Katrin turned to him and forced a smile that looked natural — something she was good at. "Thank you, Swank baby." He pecked her on the cheek and began to draw away, when a sudden impulse made Katrin reach out and grasp his arm. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his for a moment, but lightly because she was still a classy lady, just before drawing away from him. "I'll see you around," she said with a wink.

She noticed with glee that she had left a little bit of her cherry lipstick on his lips and a bit of a flush on his cheeks. He was flustered, as he stammered out a, "Take care of yourself," before quickly boarding the elevator. Katrin laughed softly to herself and shook her head. Swank would be the death of her.  
—  
Swank breathed a sigh of relief as Eathan entered the casino. He stopped Donnie from taking Eathan's weapons with just a flick of his wrist. Eathan went over to him when he beckoned. "Thank God you showed up."

Eathan looked shocked, dangerous, and ready to strike all at once. "What is it? Someone threatenin' ya?"

"No." His brow furrowed. "What?" He shook his head. "No, no. It's about that kitty cat ya travel with. I haven't been able to stop thinkin' about her."

Eathan shot a glance at Cass over his shoulder. She gave him a look that said, 'Not me, dipshit'. "I hope ya ain't talkin' about either Cass here or Veronica."

"He means Katrin," Cass deadpanned. "What a moron," she added under her breath.

"Oh... Oh!" He smacked a hand to his forehead. "Silly me. O' course ya meant Kat. What do ya need?"

"Has she said anythin' about me?"

Cass snorted as Eathan thought about it. "She's been quiet," she answered. "She doesn't talk much lately. We're thinking she's trying to work through some stuff, personal stuff, so we don't ask."

"Ain't she out with ED-E right now?" Eathan asked. "She's been gone, what, a week now?"

Swank felt his heart sink. "Do you cats know when she'll be back?"

"We'll tell her to swing by, but it's anyone's guess at this point."  
—  
It had been three weeks. Three weeks since anyone had seen either hide or tail of Katrin. Mr. New Vegas reported nothing new, and Swank was starting to fear the worst.

He'd never gotten the chance to tell the most gorgeous dame in all of the Mojave how he felt about her. He couldn't help feeling like he'd missed his chance.

"Heya handsome," purred a familiar voice.

Swank turned to see Katrin standing there. There was a bit of blood smeared across her metal armor and spattered on that already red beret atop her head. He couldn't hide his grin. "Heya baby. Always nice to have a celebrity drop by."

Her smile widened, cherry red lips parting to show off impossibly perfect white teeth — and wasn't she just lovely? "You got any work you need done around here?"

"Baby, you stick with me and you won't have to work a day in your life." Oh no, what was he doing? She was the very definition of danger, and he was always advised against flirting with it. This was such a bad idea. "Don't fret about caps, you just sit there and look pretty for me."

"Baby, you're so good to me!" she said with a grin as her pale eyes lit up. "How about some caps to buy myself something pretty?"

"Ooh, I dig the way you think, doll. Here, go treat yourself." He handed her a pouch full of caps, maybe 100 or so, and hated himself for falling for this woman. She could kill him in his sleep with just her pinky finger, and yet she was as sweet and adorable as a puppy dog. Lucky Eathan.

"Thanks baby," she said, pocketing them. "How's business been? No one's been givin' you trouble, I hope."

"Don't you worry about it, toots. Your pal Eathan had this place covered while you went traipsin' off, ya dig?" He felt his chest tighten when her grin faltered. "What's wrong, doll?"

She shook her head as her brow furrowed. "It's nothing," she said, and her grin was back. "How is he?"

"You mean you haven't seen him?" He let out a low whistle. "That's cold, baby, real cold. You're gone for three weeks and don't go to visit your boyfriend as soon's you get back?"

She laughed so hard she fell silent, her small shoulders shaking as she doubled over and held her sides. Swank watched her with concern and confusion, until she straightened and wiped tears from her eyes carefully so that she didn't smear her makeup. "Eathan? My boyfriend? Oh Swank, darling, don't joke like that."

"What? It wasn't a joke."

She blinked at him and cleared her throat softly. "Oh. Well, in any case, he isn't my boyfriend. We've never even dated. The man's like my brother, dig?"

He felt his cheeks heat a little, but her gentle smile told him that she thought it was endearing. "I just assumed, since ya two spent so much time together, that maybe you cats were..." He cleared his throat. "So you two aren't...?"

"Oh, honey, no, never." She blinked at him and the smile fell from her face, replaced by confusion. "Are you telling me you haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?" She was starting to make him edgy, with her big blue eyes and plump red lips. She was leaning in, and Swank could smell her sweet perfume above the faint odor of blood and grease. The lights of the lobby shone off of her flaming orange hair, making her look dangerous and, quite literally, on fire. Her hands, delicate and warm, found his forearms and sweat began to bead on his forehead. Dear _lord_ , what was she doing to him?

She snorted, somehow managing to retain her grace, and those eyes finally closed. She chuckled silently, if her shaking shoulders were anything to go by, and she shook her head. "Oh Swank, you dense Tom, don't you get it? You're the cat's meow."

Swank had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Now she was speaking his language. "I've been stuck on you too, you fifth avenue duchess."

She laughed, tossing her head back so far Swank thought she'd lose that beret of hers, and he laughed with her. "I'm glad that's out of the way. How about a date?"

"What are ya thinkin', toots?"

She quirked her lips to the side in thought as he took her hands over the counter. "You eat for free at The Aces?"

Swank felt a grin tug at the corners of his lips. "You ain't big into spendin' caps, are ya baby?"

She crinkled her nose, and Swank had never seen anything cuter. "Caps buy supplies and resources. I'd rather save 'em for when I need to buy some Stims or ammunition."

"Sure thing, doll."

Swank sighed and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. Her life was far too dangerous, but he knew it would be useless to try and convince her to settle down with him. She was a free spirit, a spitfire who was far more likely to set the Strip on fire than to stop wandering.

And in a way, she _had_ set the Strip alight. She had caused quite a stir with the Benny fiasco, and she was one of the few to enter the Lucky 38. Her name was on everyone's lips, and she was recognized instantly no matter where she went in the city of sin.

She was even popular in Freeside. She was the first, and more likely than not, the last female King. She had earned the respect of the King himself and had earned her place among them. She had helped Eathan and Johny settle things between the NCR and Vegas residents, and that cyberdog of the King's was no longer dying because she and Jakk had taken it up to Jacobstown.

Katrin smiled sweetly. "I'll go get cleaned up for dinner, then."

She set the Mojave alight with her charm and subtle influence in Eathan's plans. Sure, House was snuffed out, but with her as queen of the Strip, that didn't matter any more.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> I also have a [tumblr](http://almosthuman-butnotquite.tumblr.com) if anyone is interested in hitting me up.


End file.
